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Reviews 1 - 5 (12 Reviews Total)
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Submitted by
Pedro
a Road Racer
from Date Reviewed: February 22, 2008
Strengths: GEOMETRY! The ride is smooth. Fram eis stiffWeaknesses: Company is under new ownership in Pensylvania.Bottom Line: Best Bike Hands Down.
Favorite Ride: Palomares - Calaveras
Purchased At: LGBRC
Similar Products Used: Trek Madone, 200Sci, Scott CR1, Coppi Aluminum Galaxy
Bike Setup: DA 7700, Ksyriums SL, 3T Less, etc.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
andrew
a Road Racer
from Date Reviewed: November 2, 2003
Strengths: Smooth ride; crystal ruby clear coat over carbon weave; terrific power transfer; fearless handling.Weaknesses: Finish doesn't chip as fast as my old 200 (1991), but still chips.Bottom Line: Went from Alum Javelin w/Trek carbon fork, which was a very solid bike, to Kestrel 200 EMS frame and fork and Dura Ace gruppo. The steep geometry lets the 200 EMS handle like a jet fighter, but it's not so steep that it's "twitchy." The power transfer is so flawless that when you stomp on the pedals you are wondering if the bike will shoot out from between your legs and maim a spectator. Despite the stiffness, the road chatter is almost nil since the carbon absorbs the lesser bumps. The unspoken benefit to this is the improvement to handling b/c your tires stick to the road better. I live in Colorado and comparing the downhill handling of the Kestrel to other bikes on the same course makes the differences obvious. It's the same theory as full suspension mtbike. This is the bike for riding both crits or 4 hour road races.
Favorite Ride: Wednesday World's @ Austin, TX
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At: Frame/Fork @ one sho
Similar Products Used: Kestrel 200, Klein Quantum 2, Javelin Lobo, Litespeed Classic.
Bike Setup: Kestrel 200 EMS frame/fork w/Ruby Weave finish. Dura Ace 9 spd. Race wheels: Mavic Cosmic Elite. Training wheels: 32 spoke Dura Ace hubs w/Venus Sun rims.
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Submitted by
KestrelDave
a Road Racer
from Santa RosaDate Reviewed: January 13, 2002
Strengths: Customer service is slow but more than fair. I bought the bike in 1992 and in the summer of 2001 the seat tube binder broke. Because of the lifetime warranty, the entire frame and fork was replaced (the design was changed in in the mid-90's--no need to worry). However, it took a full month to get the replacement.Weaknesses: None except for price.Bottom Line: I love this bike. It is truly a dream machine. The ride is smooth. The bike is light.
Favorite Ride: Drafting behind a 230 lb Clydesdale
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At: Guido Bike Shop
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
J Winslow
a Recreational Rider
from San Francisco, CaDate Reviewed: August 11, 2001
Strengths: This bike has an amazing ride - smooth yet strong, light and responsive. As a light rider, I can fly up hills with this one. With a carbon fiber body - it doesn't beat me up. I train/ride in the bay area - and on long rides and climbs, this bike absorbs the road so I keep fresh.
Weaknesses: This bike makes me push my limits to see if I can find the limits of the bike. So far - the bike has always won. Besides that - the cost of owning takes a bit of commitment to put down the money. So while it may not be the best "value" - once you make the purchase, you won't regret it!
Bottom Line: This is the best road bike you could buy - unique brand - amazing ride (beats the big-brand knock offs the Posties ride). I ride about 2,000 miles/year, training and recreational rides. You don't need to be a racer to own and appreciate the abilities of this bike.
If you're in the market for a light, strong, responsive road bike, test ride it. You won't be disappointed.
You may be tempted however, by their newer 300ems - even lighter - at around 2.2lbs. The best gets better!
Favorite Ride: SF - Headlands - Stinson-SF
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At: Mikes Bikes
Similar Products Used: None
Bike Setup: I have Campy Record 10 speed setup with Rolf vector pro wheels.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony
a Road Racer
from Fresno, CA USADate Reviewed: July 15, 2001
Strengths: Extremely light. Very stable. Stiff. Smooth. Beautiful.Weaknesses: Even though it's lighter, the larger bulk of the frame (compared to my steel) makes it seem less manoeuverable on climbs & sprints. I'm fairly sure I'll get over it in time, so it's not really a product weakness.Bottom Line: I really did my homework on this one (I'm not made of gold, so the price was a major issue & I'm a librarian, which means I'm obsessive about the details). I made the right choice. Road buzz from aluminum & steel (even 853- which my other bike is) wore me down after a while- though I didn't notice. My 30+ daily rides & 70+ week-enders are less taxing. & the little things: like when I hammer down. Instead of hearing a metallic clank I hear a soft thud. I like that- as if all of my energy is going toward propelling the bicycle. My average speed has gone from 18.5 to hovering just under 20. A caveat: I purchased complete w/ Spinergy SPOX & carbon post. These reduce road vibrations also, so a standard setup might not be quite so muted. Truly bottom line: I love this bike. It's like riding a dream. If you can find it in your heart to spend tons of money on a bicycle, this is definately worth taking for a test ride for an afternoon.
Favorite Ride: Millerton
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At: Individual
Similar Products Used: Trek 5200 (pretty nice), KHS Aero (my second bike), Trek 1200 (a terrible mistake)
Bike Setup: Campagnolo 9-speed Ergo Record. Spinergy SPOX. Terry Fly (great saddle).
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